AUTUMN-WINTER EVENTS – Oct 2018 - March 2019 | Friends of the Towans
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‘FRIENDS OF THE TOWANS’
AUTUMN-WINTER NEWSLETTER & EVENTS 2018-19
No need for irony this year: that really was a fabulous summer, wasn’t it? I hope you all
lapped it up in the knowledge that it’ll no doubt be our last scorcher till who knows when.
I’m sorry not to have run quite as many summer events in 2018, especially a botany walk or
moth event. Truth is I’ve been really busy with lots of other work, but I hope you’ll forgive
me as the main project I’ve been working on will give us 10 years’ of work!
Many of you will remember working up at Godrevy Warren last winter, above the Red River.
Well, thanks to funding from Natural England, the site will start a 10 year Countryside
Stewardship agreement from January 1st 2019. Sally Foster, Colin French and I carried out
surveys there this summer and then produced a Management Plan, making various
recommendations. If any of you would like to see this, let me know and I will email it to you.
Sally recorded over 5,000 silver-studded blue butterflies, and widespread colonies across
the site, although many were small and at risk of fragmentation due to our old friend ‘the
scrub’. Colin’s work estimated about 25% of the area is scrub at the moment, and our initial
aim is to reduce this by about 7ha in the first 2 years – don’t worry, it won’t just be down to
us – contractors will be involved too, as well as some chomping livestock! (a new breed…)
I knew the Warren was rich in archaeology, but until I put all the paperwork together, I
didn’t realise quite how significant it is. Here’s a quote from Historic England’s Ancient
Monument entry for Godrevy: ‘The importance of the multi-period prehistoric settlement
sites…at Godrevy Towans cannot be overstated, since it forms the primary source for much
of what is known about the agricultural economy and settlement in the British Bronze Age.’
Wow! It feels like a great privilege to be at the start of this exciting project. I’ll share more
information with you as it develops, but just to whet you appetite, there’s a budget for
‘educational access’ too – guided walks, if you like - so any groups you’re involved with who
might want to visit, just let me know.
To set up a nice pincer-movement on the Towans this winter, we’ll also be working on
Riviere Towans, close to the Hayle River. The chalet park there is just about to start
supporting the Towans Ranger project, and would welcome some help from us in removing
some dense areas of sea buckthorn. I didn’t quite realise the scale of the operation at
Riviere – they have 300 chalets, so that’s lots more people with the potential to find out
about The Friends and what we do.
We also heard positive news in the summer regarding the Dynamic Dunescapes project
we’ve been working on with Cornwall Wildlife Trust. This national project has received its
contribution from EU LIFE funds, and work has formally started now on the project, mainly
at the national level, and work on the ground will commence in mid 2019.
So in summary, if we can avoid politics and the ‘B’ word, 2019 is looking to be a very
exciting, positive year for our Towans and I look forward to some healthy outdoor work with
you again very soon.
Martin ‘the Ranger’
Sea buckthorn awaiting our attention at Riviere Towans
AUTUMN-WINTER EVENTS – Oct 2018 - March 2019
All events start at 10am and run until about 2pm. I will bring tools, gloves, tea, coffee and
biscuits, but please make sure you bring some lunch and appropriate clothing and footwear
suitable for working in the exposed Towans’ environment.
It would be useful if you could let me know via text, phone or email if you plan to attend -
thanks. martinrule@talktalk.net; mobile - 07854 123 877
Thurs Sept 27th St Gothians Nature Reserve, near Godrevy
Following a successful day last winter, we will carry on cutting back gorse here to enlarge an
area of short turf being used by the silver-studded blue. This is an important narrow corridor
that links the two main dune areas of Godrevy Warren and Hayle-Gwithian Towans.
Meet in the roadside lay-bys north of Gwithian village SW 587/416.
Thurs Oct 11th Upton Towans CWT Reserve
We’ll be removing non-native Cotoneaster, uprooting clematis stumps and cutting back
scrub from within some of the WWI bunkers and pathways. Meet at main reserve entrance,
near the tall chimney SW 579/397
Thurs Oct 25th Upton Towans CWT Reserve
Same details as Oct 11th.
Thurs Nov 8th Gwithian Green Nature Reserve
Various work – willow and elm coppicing, pond and stream ‘weeding’ and raking up and
burning bramble cuttings. This is our nearest outing to Nov 5th, so be sure of a good bonfire.
Maybe we could add a political Guy or 2…plenty to choose from these days!
Meet in car park just north of Gwithian Church at SW587/413.
Thur Nov 22nd Riviere Towans, near Hayle
The first of 2 outings to help clear extensive sea buckthorn from the chalet park. Meet just
inside the park – opposite the entrance to Haven Holidays, along the road past Phillack
Church SW 557/386. You may want extra strong gloves if mine are too feeble…!
Thurs Dec 6th Riviere Towans near Hayle
Same details as Nov 22nd.
Thurs Dec 20th Godrevy Warren
The first of 4 outings to The Warren, where we will start to cut back gorse, privet and
clematis to enable cattle to move around the site and to restore open grassland areas. We’ll
make this date our traditional pre-Christmas get-together - jacket potatoes, mince pies etc.
Meet at the 5 bar gate on the right, just inside the NT road to Godrevy, SW587/422. Park in
NT car park, or the small car park on the left, just beyond the 5 bar gate.
Thurs Jan 3rd, Thurs Jan 17th Thurs Jan 31st
Same details as Dec 20th. We may be helping with fencing too, for a change and to exercise
some different muscle groups!
Thurs Feb Feb 14th Gwithian Towans
Following work here last winter, we’ll be raking up and burning scrub cuttings, and
montbretia bulbs from near the Jam Pot, to continue to enlarge an area of short turf being
used by the silver-studded blue. Meet in the large council car park at Gwithian. SW 565/384.
Thurs Feb 28th
Same details as Feb 14th.
Thurs March 14th
No details fixed yet – we’ll see how the winter has progressed and where our help is most
needed. Most likely to be Mexico Towans or back at Upton.
Thurs March 28th
Another bash at the stream to reduce choking weeds before the summer growth rate hits.
Plus, you guessed it, some raking, trimming and burning.
Meet in car park just north of Gwithian Church at SW587/413.
I look forward to seeing you soon
Martin Rule, Towans Ranger 07854 123 877 martinrule@talktalk.net
Abundant sea holly in the fore dunes at St Gothian LNR, August 2018
Godrevy Warren is the hill in the background
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